Method and apparatus for estimating a geographic location of a networked entity

The present invention relates generally to the field of geographic location determination and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for estimating the geographic location of a network entity, such as a node coupled to the Internet. A method and an apparatus operates to associate a geographic location associated with a network address. At least one data collection operation is performed to obtain information pertaining to a network address. The retrieved information is processed to identify a plurality of geographic locations potentially associated with the network address, and to attach a confidence factor to each of the plurality of geographic locations. An estimated geographic location is selected from the plurality of geographic locations as being a best estimate of a true geographic location of the network address, where the selection of the estimated geographic location is based upon a degree of confidence-factor weighted agreement within the plurality of geographic locations.